DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6551#0142
RETURN PROM UPPER EGYPT.
107
janissary, and attendants, I met near a gateway an
Arab officer, who called out with much earnestness, and
made violent gestures for me to stop, and to get out of
the way. His horse was rather troublesome, and, as the
one I rode was the same, I concluded that he was afraid
of their coming into collision. I knew perfectly well,
however, that I could easily prevent any accident, and
accordingly passed through the gate, keeping on the left
hand, and making signs to him to keep on the other
side, at the same time giving him the usual salutation;
when, to my surprise, he became more excited, and talked
louder than ever. I was afterwards informed that what I
intended as a civility he took as an affront, and that he
had been insisting that I should wait, in order that he,
being a Mahometan, might go first through the gate.
My attendants appeared much offended, and wished me
to represent his conduct to the governor, which of course
I would not do.
I wrote to Colonel Campbell from this town, desiring
to hear, by a letter directed to Benisouef, whether any
discovery of importance had taken place at Gizeh, as,
in that case, I intended to return immediately to Cairo,
instead of visiting the Faioum.
In proceeding down the stream I was informed that
a boat, which was moored to the eastern shore, belonged
to an Arab, and had no European aboard, although it
carried an English flag. I therefore went over with the
intention of taking it away, when a Maltese appeared,
and claimed it. Of course I declined any further in-
terference, but noted down the particulars, and trans-
mitted them to Colonel Campbell, who took measures
to prevent the repetition of a similar abuse. European
flags are often obtained in this manner for trading specu-
107
janissary, and attendants, I met near a gateway an
Arab officer, who called out with much earnestness, and
made violent gestures for me to stop, and to get out of
the way. His horse was rather troublesome, and, as the
one I rode was the same, I concluded that he was afraid
of their coming into collision. I knew perfectly well,
however, that I could easily prevent any accident, and
accordingly passed through the gate, keeping on the left
hand, and making signs to him to keep on the other
side, at the same time giving him the usual salutation;
when, to my surprise, he became more excited, and talked
louder than ever. I was afterwards informed that what I
intended as a civility he took as an affront, and that he
had been insisting that I should wait, in order that he,
being a Mahometan, might go first through the gate.
My attendants appeared much offended, and wished me
to represent his conduct to the governor, which of course
I would not do.
I wrote to Colonel Campbell from this town, desiring
to hear, by a letter directed to Benisouef, whether any
discovery of importance had taken place at Gizeh, as,
in that case, I intended to return immediately to Cairo,
instead of visiting the Faioum.
In proceeding down the stream I was informed that
a boat, which was moored to the eastern shore, belonged
to an Arab, and had no European aboard, although it
carried an English flag. I therefore went over with the
intention of taking it away, when a Maltese appeared,
and claimed it. Of course I declined any further in-
terference, but noted down the particulars, and trans-
mitted them to Colonel Campbell, who took measures
to prevent the repetition of a similar abuse. European
flags are often obtained in this manner for trading specu-